On Eve of WTO Ministerial, Caribbean cautions against further Slippage on ‘Development Issues’

The Word Trade Organization’s (WTO) biennial Ministerial Conference gets underway this week in Hong Kong. With the six-day Sixth WTO Ministerial poised to start tomorrow, there have been a series of setbacks in global trade talks, that in large measure have been brought on by an unwillingness on the part of certain countries to yield concessions in respect of liberalizing agricultural markets, resulting in a scaling back of the agenda for the Ministerial.
Ahead of the Ministerial, the Caribbean has been expressing concern at how ‘development issues’ are finding expression in on-going talks. At a triennial CARICOM/Cuba summit that took place in Barbados December 8, Leaders expressed “deep disappointment” over the limited progress that has been achieved in this area in negotiations to date (see Declaration of Bridgetown at www.crnm.org). They also characterized recent WTO rulings on Bananas and Sugar as having a devastating impact on the Region, noting that these “unilateral and unprincipled EU decisions on sugar and bananas” will impact negatively on the social and economic development of the Caribbean.
Caribbean Trade Ministers gathered in Hong Kong for this week’s Ministerial meeting met today, to take stock of the Region’s positions. In a separate meeting, Caribbean Trade Ministers met with their Commonwealth counterparts, at a Commonwealth Trade Ministers meeting – also convened today. At that meeting, delegations reiterated the view that a development-oriented outcome in global trade talks is vitally important for these vulnerable developing countries. The importance of infusing a “development dimension” in WTO talks was reaffirmed by the Caribbean, amongst the smallest, most vulnerable WTO Members. The Caribbean has cautioned against any further slippage in addressing ‘Development Issues’.
Respective CARICOM delegations are being led by ministers (except for St. Vincent and the Grenadines); they are: Hon. Errol Corte, Minister of Finance and the Economy (Antigua and Barbuda); Hon. Billie Miller, Senior Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade (Barbados); Hon. Leslie O. Miller, Minister for Trade and Industry (The Bahamas); Hon. Godfrey Smith, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Tourism (Belize); Hon. Charles Savarin, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Labour (Dominica); Hon. Clement Rohee, Minister of Foreign Trade and International Co-operation (Guyana); Hon. K.D. Knight, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade (Jamaica); Hon. Petrus Compton, Minister of External Affairs, International Trade and Civil Aviation (St. Lucia); Hon. Kenneth Valley, Minister of Trade and Industry (Trinidad and Tobago).
Heading a team of RNM officials is Director General of the Caribbean Regional Negotiating Machinery (RNM) Ambassador Dr. Richard Bernal.